Russia says US sanctions on Iran will not affect Moscow-Tehran cooperation

Russia said on Tuesday new U.S. sanctions against Iran would have no political or practical consequences for Moscow's cooperation with Tehran, the Interfax news agency reported, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

The United States on Monday slapped new sanctions on Iran's defence ministry and others involved in its nuclear and weapons programme to support the U.S. assertion that all U.N. sanctions against Tehran are now restored, a stance which key European allies as well as Russia and China reject.

Ryabkov also said that Russia had not given the United States any new deadlines in negotiations over the New START treaty, their last major nuclear arms pact, but said time was running out.